1.3 mum compressive-strain multiple-quantum-well (CS-MQW) GaInAsP/GaInAsP laser diodes (LDs) with a tensile-strain GaInP electron stopper layer (TS-ESL) were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The TS-ESL, which is inserted between the MQW region and p-side separate-confinement-hetero structure (SCH) layer, is used to suppress the electron overflow from MQW region to p-side SCH layer and to compensate the strain resulted from the CS-MQW region. The fabricated 3.5-mum-ridge-width LDs with a GaInP ESL exhibit a lower threshold current density of 0.88 kA/cm(2), a higher differential quantum efficiency of 48%, a comparable characteristic temperature of 57 K, a maximum operating temperature up to 85 degreesC, and a red-shift rate of 0.28 nm/degreesC, as compared to those without a GaInP ESL. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.